13th – 17th July 2015 – Brussels

Revised proposals for an EU Passenger Name Records system are to be put to the vote in the parliament’s civil liberties committee. The parliament’s rapporteur, ECR Member Timothy Kirkhope, believes that the directive is an essential element of the EU’s cross border fight against serious crimes and terrorism.

A PNR agreement will allow the collection of basic passenger information on air travellers. It is used to establish patterns of behaviour that can give a clear indication of suspect behaviour, that have proven effective in the detection of terrorism and serious criminality such as drug and people trafficking.

15 EU governments are moving ahead with their own PNR collection systems but Mr Kirkhope’s report would close the gaps in the net at the European level, and importantly put in place common standards for protecting people’s data.

Press officer to contact: James Holtum on +32 473 861762

Vote: Wednesday @ 15.00
Press conference at 17.30

Air quality

A report by ECR MEP Julie Girling on air quality and the so-called National Emission Ceilings (NEC) Directive will be voted on by the environment committee. The proposal replaces a 2001 directive and sets new ceilings on emissions for sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, ammonia, and non-methane volatile organic compounds for 2020 and 2030. It would also extend the Directive to cover particulate matter (PM2.5) from 2020 and methane (CH4) from 2030. The 2020 limits are based on international commitments under the so-called Gothenburg Protocol, whilst the new ceilings for 2030 are set in each Member State looking at the most cost-effective measures that can be taken to deliver 70 percent of the maximum technically feasible reductions in health impacts as defined by the WHO.

Press officer to contact: Alasdair Rendall on +32 475 780819

Vote: Wednesday @ 10.30

Asylum relocation

The civil liberties committee will vote its position on the relocation of asylum seekers from Italy and Greece. This includes how many asylum seekers will be redistributed in total, as well as the criteria it will be based upon. ECR Shadow Rapporteur Timothy Kirkhope has consistently argued that any system of relocation of asylum seekers within the EU should be based on a voluntary basis, and solidarity built upon trust and cooperation rather than compulsion.